Page 8 of Dark Sky

In the hallway after the meeting, Ewig asked Joe for a moment. They ducked behind a standing mount of a huge grizzly bear, stepping out of view of the receptionist’s desk that led to the governor’s inner office.

“I’m sorry, Joe,” Ewig said. “I’m sorry to put this all on you. It isn’t fair.”

Joe shrugged. His boss was correct.

“Don’t do it for him,” Ewig said. “Don’t do it for me. Do it for all of your colleagues and the state.”

“That’s a lot to ask,” Joe said.

“I know it is. But when the governor asked me for a recommendation for a guide, I couldn’t help but think of you. You’ve got elk experience, and you know how to keep your mouth shut. I needed someone I could trust to do this.”

“Thanks for that,” Joe said, looking away. “But what if the hunt goes pear-shaped? Weather could be a factor, or maybe we just can’t find the elk. Or Price gets a shot and misses. Or worse, he wounds an elk and we spend three days trying to track it? You know how it is in the mountains. Anything can happen.”

Ewig put his hand on Joe’s shoulder. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but I hope you can minimize the risks. I hope you can get this done and get everybody down safely out of the mountains with an elk and nobody hurt.”

“I hope so, too,” Joe said. “I don’t like being away from my district for a week during hunting season. It makes me nervous.”

“I’ll assign somebody to cover it,” Ewig said. “Maybe I’ll even do it myself.”

“It’s five thousand square miles,” Joe said with skepticism.

“I’m aware,” Ewig said.

“What about licenses and conservation stamps for Price and his crew? What about him passing a hunter’s safety course?”

All hunters in Wyoming had to have a valid hunting license for the correct area as well as an annual conservation stamp. In addition, hunters applying for the elk license drawing were required to have completed a hunter’s safety course.

“We got a license from the governor’s allotment,” Ewig said. “I bought the guy a conservation stamp myself—all he has to do is sign it.”

“Hunter’s safety?” Joe asked.

“Price took an online course in California. We have reciprocity with them. Everything is legal, Joe. You don’t have to worry about that.”

Ewig reached back and pulled a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to Joe. “Price’s contact details are all on here. His point man is named Tim Joannides. You’ll need to work through him to coordinate the trip.”

“Not Price himself?”

“That’s not how it works out in Silicon Valley, I guess,” Ewig said.

“What happens if Price decides to locate his server project somewhere else?” Joe asked. “Despite what happens on this trip?”

Ewig ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know. Your guess is as good as mine.Icanspeculate that it wouldn’t be good for you or the agency.”

“Gotcha,” Joe said. His face was burning again.

“Keep me in the loop,” Ewig said. “I want to know how it’s going. Don’t be afraid to ask if you need anything.”

Joe shook his director’s hand.

“Don’t let us down, Joe,” he said.

“I think I got that point real clearly,” Joe replied.

THREE

After removing the rear seat of a rental Suburban to make enough room for all of the gear they’d brought with them, after waiting for Zsolt Rumy to pat down Brock Boedecker and the SUV driver to make sure they posed no threat to Steve Price, and after Price had insisted that Tim Joannides take a photo of him standing in front of the horse trailer with Joe on one side and Boedecker on the other, Joe ambled toward his green Ford F-150 pickup. He would lead the caravan to the trailhead at the base of Battle Mountain, followed by Boedecker and his eight-horse trailer and the rental SUV with the hunting party.

As he opened the door, Joannides appeared. He was out of breath from running across the parking lot from the Suburban.